Easy opening end unit

ABSTRACT

This disclosure relates to an easy opening end unit which includes an end panel having a weakening line defining a tear panel which is at least partially removable from the end panel, a rupture initiating member, means mounting the rupture initiating member for rotation relative to the end panel, and means for localizing rupturing forces of the rupture initiating member upon the rotation thereof contiguous the weakening line whereby severance of the latter is achieved to effect the at least partial removal of the tear panel from the end panel. The rupture force localizing means includes a severance initiating end of a tab cooperative with a folded portion or bead of the end panel against which will progressively bear the severance initiating end due to the eccentric rotational mounting thereof relative to the end panel causing severance of said weakening line upon rotation of the severance initiating end. Venting is achieved upon initial severance and the tear panel is precluded from being blown out of the end panel due to the provision of the folded portion or bead in overlying relationship to the weakening line.

United States Patent [1 1 Novak l l EASY OPENING END UNIT [75] Inventor: James B. Novak, Glen Elly, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Continental Can Company, Inc.,

New York, N.Y.

221 Filed: May 17,1974

211 Appl. No.: 470,984

[52] US. Cl. 220/268 [5 1] Int. Cl. B65d 41/32 [58] Field of Search 220/265, 266, 267, 268

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,379,333 4/1968 Navia 220/267 3,401,8l9 9/l968 Salamone.....................,,..... 220/266 Primary Examiner-George T. Hall Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Diller, Brown, Ramik & Wight [57] ABSTRACT This disclosure relates to an easy opening end unit June 10, 1975 which includes an end panel having a weakening line defining a tear panel which is at least partially removable from the end panel, a rupture initiating member, means mounting the rupture initiating member for rotation relative to the end panel, and means for localizing rupturing forces of the rupture initiating member upon the rotation thereof contiguous the weakening line whereby severance of the latter is achieved to effect the at least partial removal of the tear panel from the end panel.

The rupture force localizing means includes a severance initiating end of a tab cooperative with a folded portion or bead of the end panel against which will progressively bear the severance initiating end due to the eccentric rotational mounting thereof relative to the end panel causing severance of said weakening line upon rotation of the severance initiating end.

Venting is achieved upon initial severance and the tear panel is precluded from being blown out of the end panel due to the provision of the folded portion or bead in overlying relationship to the weakening line.

13 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 EASY OPENING END UNIT A primary object of this invention is to provide a novel easy opening end unit for containers which preferably though not necessarily includes a nondetachable tear panel, the easy opening end unit including an end panel, a weakening line therein defining the tear panel for at least partial removal from the end panel, a rupture initiating member, means mounting the rupture initiating member for rotation relative to the end panel, and means for localizing rupturing forces of the rupture initiating member upon the rotation thereof contiguous the weakening line whereby severance of the latter is achieved to effect the at least partial removal of the tear panel from the end panel.

In keeping with the foregoing, another object of this invention is to provide a novel easy opening end unit of the type immediately herefore described wherein the rupture initiating member has a severance initiating end and the mounting means mounts the severance initiating end for eccentric rotation relative to the weakening line to achieve progressive force application thereto.

Still our object of this invention is to provide a novel easy opening end unit of the type herefore described wherein the severance initiating end has a wedge surface and the rupture force localizing means includes a folded portion of the end panel contiguous the weakening line against which the wedge surface will progressively bear upon the rotation of the rupture initiating member to cause the severance of the weakening line.

In further accordance with this invention the end panel folded portion or head precludes the tear panel from being removed externally from the associated container. particularly if the latter is subjected to a pressurized fill, such as beer, soda, or the like.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a novel end unit constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates the same double seamed to a container with a rupture initiating member mounted by a rivet to a tear panel.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged top plan view of a portion of the end unit of FIG. 1 and illustrates in phantom outline the initial position of the rupture initiating member and in solid outline the final position of the latter at which severance of the weakening line takes place.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 of FIG. 1, and in solid outline illustrates the rupture initiating member prior to its rotation and in phantom outline the final inboard or inward position of the tear panel and the rupture initiating member carried thereby.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the end unit of FIG. 3, and illustrates the manner in which rupture takes place along the weakening line upon the rotation of the rupture initiating memher.

A novel easy opening end unit constructed in accordance with this invention is best illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawing, and is generally designated by the reference 10. The easy opening end unit is preferably though not necessarily constructed from metallic material and is united to a conventional container C (FIGS. 1 and 3) by a double seam 11 in a manner known in the art.

The end unit 10 includes an end panel 12 of a generally circular configuration and being provided with a triangularly shaped folded portion or bead 13 having a top wall 14, a radius 15, an intermediate wall 16, a radius l7, and a lower wall 18. Inboard of the lower wall 18 is a generally V-shaped score or weakening line 20 is a tear out portion 21 which is defined by the V- shaped score line 18 (FIG. 2) and a fold line 22. The fold line 22 bridges or spans the divergently remotest ends of the V-shaped weakening line 18.

A portion of the tear panel 21 is formed conventionally as a rivet 19 having an enlarged head 23 and a narrower neck 24 serving as a rivet or journal point for a rupture initiating member or a tab 25 with the latter having an off-centered bore or opening 26. The rivet 22 and off-centered bore or opening 26 mount the rupture initiating member for rotation between two positions, the first being shown in phantom outline at the left in FIG. 2 and the second being shown in solid outline at the right in the same figure.

The rotation of the rupture initiating member between the phantom and solid outline positions of FIG. 2 causes rupture of the weakening line 20 in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter. The rupture initiating member further includes a handle portion 26 to facilitate the rotation in the direction of the unnumbered head arrow in FIG. 2, as well as a severance initiating end in the form of wedge means 27 inclined radially downwardly and outwardly relative to the weakening line 20 (FIG. 3). The dimensioning of the wedge means 27 and the eccentric mounting of the rupture initiating member 25 is such that upon rotation of the rupture initiating member 25 from the phantom outline position of FIG. 2 of the solid outline position the wedge surface 27 progressively moves toward the radius 15 of the folded portion or bead 13 in the manner best shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing such that the action of the wedge means 27 forces it into the area between the walls l6, 18 causing lateral stresses to take place within the fold portion 13. These lateral stresses gener ated by the wedging action cause the portion of the score line 18 adjacent thereto to become broken or severed. At this point, depending upon the content of the container, venting will take place. This venting can be positive or negative depending upon whether or not the contents of the container C are under pressure or vacuum. However, if under pressure the tear panel 21 cannot be blown outwardly because the radius 15 of the folded portion 13 overlies the peripheral boundary of the tear panel 21 as defined by the V-shaped score or weakening line 20 of the tear panel 21. Thus the now at least partially severed or loosen tear panel 21 cannot be withdrawn from the container, and following the venting action caused by the initial score fracture of the weakening line 20 a downward pressure is applied to the handle or tab 26 to propagate hinging along the hinge or fold line 22 to move the tear panel 21 into the interior of the containers C to the phantom outlined position thereof shown in FIG. 3. In this manner a pushin non-detachable opening end unit is provided in accordance with this invention.

I claim:

1. An easy opening end unit comprising an end panel, a weakening line in said end panel, said weakening line defining a tear panel at least partially removable from said end panel, a rupture initiating member, means mounting said rupture initiating member for rotation relative to said end panel, end means for localizing rupturing forces of said rupture initiating member upon the rotation thereof contiguous said weakening line whereby severance of the latter is achieved to effect the at least partial removal of said tear panel from said and panel.

2. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said rupturing force localizing means includes wedge means defined by said rupture initiating memher.

3. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said rupture force localizing means includes a folded portion of said end panel contiguous said weakening line against which will progressively bear said rupture initiating member upon the rotation thereof to cause said severance of said weakening line.

4. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said end panel includes a bead in external overlying relationship to said weakening line whereby upon severance of the latter said tear panel is precluded from being moved outward of said bead due to pressurized contents or the like.

5. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said rupture initiating member includes a severance initiating end, and said mounting means mounts said severance initiating end for eccentric rotation relative to said weakening line.

6. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said rupture force localizing means includes a severance initiating end cooperative with a folded portion of said end panel contiguous said weakening line against which will progressively bear said severance initiating end upon the rotation of said rupturing force localizing means to cause severance of said weakening line.

7. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 2 wherein said wedge means is an inclined surface of said rupture initiating member sloping radially inwardly and upwardly away from said weakening line.

8. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 2 wherein said rupture force localizing means further includes a folded portion of said end panel contiguous said weakening line against which will progressively bear rupture initiating member upon the rotation thereof to cause said severance of said weakening line.

9. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 6 wherein said folded portion is in external overlying relationship to said weakening line whereby upon severance of the latter said tear panel is precluded from being moved outward of said folded portion due to pressurized contents or the like.

10. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 6 wherein said rupture initiating member includes a severance initiating end, and said mounting means mounts said severance initiating end for eccentric rotation relative to said weakening line.

11. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 7 wherein said rupture initiating member includes a severance initiating end, and said mounting means mounts said severance initiating end for eccentric rotation relative to said weakening line.

12. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 8 wherein said rupture initiating member includes a severance initiating end, and said mounting means mounts said severance initiating end for eccentric rotation relative to said weakening line.

13. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 9 wherein said rupture initiating member includes a severance initiating end, and said mounting means mounts said severance initiating end for eccentric rotation relative to said weakening line. 

1. An easy opening end unit comprising an end panel, a weakening line in said end panel, said weakening line defining a tear panel at least partially removable from said end panel, a rupture initiating member, means mounting said rupture initiating member for rotation relative to said end panel, end means for localizing rupturing forces of said rupture initiating member upon the rotation thereof contiguous said weakening line whereby severance of the latter is achieved to effect the at least partial removal of said tear panel from said and panel.
 2. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said rupturing force localizing means includes wedge means defined by said rupture initiating member.
 3. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said rupture force localizing means includes a folded portion of said end panel contiguous said weakening line against which will progressively bear said rupture initiating member upon the rotation thereof to cause said severance of said weakening line.
 4. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said end panel includes a bead in external overlying relationship to said weakening line whereby upon severance of the latter said tear panel is precluded from being moved outward of said bead due to pressurized contents or the like.
 5. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said rupture initiating member includes a severance initiating end, and said mounting means mounts said severance initiating end for eccentric rotation relative to said weakening line.
 6. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said rupture force localizing means includes a severance initiating end cooperative with a folded portion of said end panel contiguous said weakening line against which will progressively bear said severance initiating end upon the rotation of said rupturing force localizing means to cause severance of said weakening line.
 7. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 2 wherein said wedge means is an inclined surface of said rupture initiating member sloping radially inwardly and upwardly away from said weakening line.
 8. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 2 wherein said rupture force localizing means further includes a folded portion of said end panel contiguous said weakening line against which will progressively bear rupture initiating member upon the rotation thereof to cause said severance of said weakening line.
 9. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 6 wherein said folded portion is in external overlying relationship to said weakening line whereby upon severance of the latter said tear panel is precluded from being moved outward of said folded portion due to pressurized contents or the like.
 10. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 6 wherein said rupture initiating member includes a severance initiating end, and said mounting means mounts said severance initiating end for eccentric rotation relative to said weakening line.
 11. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 7 wherein said rupture initiating member includes a severance initiating end, and said mounting means mounts said severance initiating end for eccentric rotation relative to said weakening line.
 12. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 8 wherein said rupture initiating member includes a severance initiating end, and said mounting means mounts said severance initiating end for eccentric rotation relative to said weakening line.
 13. The easy opening end unit as defined in claim 9 wherein said rupture initiating member includes a severance initiating end, and said mounting means mounts said severance initiating end for eccentric rotation relative to said weakening line. 